broolvie



E. L. BROOIVIE.

SLUICE GATE.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. I], 1915- I 1,306,370. Patented June 10, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ATTORNEY E. L. BROOME.

SLUICE GATE.

APPLlCATlON FILED NOV. II, 1915.

Patvnred June 10, 1919.

I vvvvw I IIIIIIiII w a 1-- RI IIIII l I l X I l l I I l l I J J 1 l I l I I I l l I I I ll IIIIE-Y/IUHWOOIIM J INVENTOR' ATTORNEY WITNESSES 6.9

E. L. 8800MB.

SLUICE GATE.

API'LiCAIION FILED NOV. H. \Jlm 1,806,370.

lut'vnfed Jun) 10, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY ERNEST L. BROOME, OF TARRYTOWN, YORK, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN N.

THOMAS, OF

PITTSTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

SLUICE-GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 11, 1915. Serial N 0. 60,952.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST L. BROOME, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tarrytown, in the countyof Vestchester and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Sluice-Gate, of which the fo lowing is a specification.

This invention has reference to sluice gates, and its object is to provide a sluice gate in which friction is reduced to a minimum and which will .close positively and automatically and thus obviate the use of compression closing means for the gate.

In accordance-with the present invention the gate is of the generally upright type, and is so arranged that the seating portionof the gate and also the seat for the gate are at an angle to the line of movement between the open and closed'positionsof'the gate, whereby there is no shding movement between the gate and its seat. The friction of sliding movement between the gate and its guides is reduced to a minimum by the employment of suitable anti-friction means. By the present invention provision is made for utilizing the vertical pressure of water on the front of the gate to assist the action of gravity in efl'e'cting the closing movement of the gate, whereby the gate operating devices are always under suspensional tension and no compression forces the closing of the gate.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification with the further understanding that while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes, and modifications mark no material departure from the salient featuresof the invention. In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the gate and its guides removed from the usual setting.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the gate with the portion of the guides above the gate in cross-section and showing the gate in the installed position in a sluice way.

. 3 is a face view of the are needed to efl'ect ate omittin the guides. g r g Fig. 4 is a vertical central section'of the gate as installed on the sluice way.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are outline sectional side elevations of the gate structure omitting some parts and showing difi'erent forms of gate operating mechanisms.

Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are diagrammatic views illustrating different modes of utilizing the vertical pressure of the water for assisting in the closing movement of the gate.

In a gate constructed in accordance with the present invention the guides for the gate and the seat for the gate are at an angle to each other, and in order to'avoid as much as possible sliding friction between the gate and the guides, rollers or other suitable antifriction means are employed.

Even without anti-friction means the gate where the guides and the seat are at an angle, to each other requires but asmall fraction of the power to operate it as does a gate where the guides and seat face are parallel. In the latter instance there is a material amount of sliding friction developed.

its seat are inclined to the line of movement of the gate in opening and closing, this line of movement being usually practically vertical, but of course this arrangement may be varied without departing materially from relative angularity of the seat and matching portionof the lgate to the line of movement of the gate. T such that advantage is taken of the vertlcal water.pressure to supplement-the force of gravity, that is, the submerged weight of the gate, to an extent causing the closing movement of the gate without any assistance whatever from downward pressure exerted through the gate operating devices.

The gate might, of' course, be made so heavy that the force of gravity alone would be suflicient to cause it to close, but this means an inordinately large amount of material far in excess of that demanded by the work required of the gate. I I With a gate constructed in accordance with the present invention the gate is self closing and the suspension devices'are theree construction of the gate is fore always occur between the gate and vertical guides provided for directing its movement maybe.

' Referring first to Figs.

- cally in tension- This is of particularly great advantage in gates under a deep submersion where the stems would necessarily have much unsupported length.

8, 9, 10 and 11, which illustrate more or less diagrammatically the principles upon which the present invention is based, there is shown a sluice .way 1 having a gate seat 2 somewhat inclined to the vertical, and adapted to this seat is a similarly inclined gate 3 which is to be'considered as suitably constructed and guided so as to move in a vertical path.

Such a gate will leave its seat at once on beginning the opening movement, and will not again engage' its seat until the completion of the closing movement, so that any sliding. friction such as occurs with'vertimovable gates along vertical seats is avoided. Other sliding friction which might in great measure overcome by suitable antifriction means not illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11, but indlcated in other figures of I the drawing to which reference will herein- I after be made.

In Fig. 8 the gate 3 is shown as provided at its lower edge with a substantially horizontal shelf 4. extended in an up-stream'directlon.

When water flows through an opening,

K such as 5, the pressure at the entering end free end the static or of this opening is equal to the static head or potential energy. At the discharge or potential energy has i been entirely changed to kinetic energy or ward pressure is balanced by the upward upward pressure pressure at the entering end of the passage 5 and its yalue is therefore zero. Since the is zero at the outlet end of the passage, the downward pressure is there a maximum and equals the full static head. The total pressure may therefore be indicated by the triangle A K B, that is, the weight of the water in the triangle is the natural force assisting gravity.

The fundamental idea is-to have a deep water, and therefore fully submerged gate,

inclined to the vertical line or line of movement at such an angle that the pressure of water on the upstream side of the movable gate, togetherwith the submerged weight of the movable parts, causes the closing and setting of the gate to take place without the application of purposely applied compressive force under conditions where the submerged depth ofthe gate and the flow of escaping water are sufficient to overcome gravity in the vertical gate, such an arrange ment permitting" the use of means for operating the gate by tension only, so that the only exterior force necessary will be that required to open the gate.

The use of operating mechanism necessitating only tension results in extreme simplicity, permitting the application of such well known devices as a rope and combination of pulleys, an overhead hoist on a trolley track, a light gauntree crane, a fixed drum or Windlass for each gate where a gang of gates is used, or any other well known arrangement purpose.

The gate must be set at an angle to the vertical or at an angle to the line of movement in opening and closing, and this angle is a function solely of the submerged weight and the water pressure normal to the upstream face of the gate; Moreover, with a given weight of gate and head of water, the angle .is a minimum, any material change from such angle either unnecessarily increasing the opening eifort, necessitating heavier masonry and resulting in greater expense, orrequiring exertion of compressive force to cause the closing of the gate.-

which will serve the By making the inclination of'the gate a definite function of the weight of the gate and of the water pressure, the gate may be made strong enough to sustain the water pressure only, without regard to the influence of gravity on the closing operation. This permits a saving in the cost of material or even .the use of wood for a large portion of the structure, this being highly desirable in many large modern hydraulic 'po wer developments, which are generally located in wooded country at a considerable distance from manufacturing communities, thus making it extremely difficult to transport unwieldly structure's.

Instead of providing the gate with ledge or shelf 4:, as in Fig.- 8, the gate may be shaped as in Fig. 9, where there is shown a gate 3 having an upper end 6 quite broad, and a lower end '7 quite narrow. Another variation of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 10 where there is shown a gate 3 provided with a series of steps G on the upstream side forming ledges upon'which the vertical pressure is exerted. Again, as in Fig. 11, a gate 3 may be employed having a plane upstream face so inclined to the that the invention in the particular form under consideration is susceptible of numerous Figs. 1 to 4' the considered as including many means for the utilization of the vertical pressure of the water-or other fluid under control for assisting gravity in bringing about automatically the closing movement of the gate without the need of any mechanical means for causing the closing movement, thus insuring a positive seal between the gate and its seat.

. A practical construction of sluice gate em bodying the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 together with the showing of Figs. 5, 6 and 7, which are directed more particularly to the elevating means, employed for the gate, wherein the suspens1on part of the hoisting mechanism is subjected when opening and closing the gate to tension only, thereby avoiding compression of these parts and thus doing away with the necessity of making the suspension in the form of heavy columns or struts. In

Figs. 2 and 4 a sluice way 1 is illustrated in which islodged the gate seat 2, this latter being in the form of a channel frame embedded in the walls of the sluice way, and suitably inclined to the vertical with the lower or'basic end of the seat 2 farther up stream than the top of the seat. The upstream edge of the seat 2 is'shown as vided with a separate rim 7 adapted to be engaged by a similar rim 8 on the gate 3.

In the particular construction shown in gate is composed of marginal channel beams 9 with connecting cross I- channel beams 10 and 10, respectively, united to the sides of the gate by brackets 11 or otherwise, the whole being firmly riveted together into a skeleton frame with the rim 8 firmly riveted to the corresponding webs of the beams 9. That face of the gate which in operation constitutes the'fr'ont or up-stream face has a covering or facing 12 of sheet steel riveted to the webs of the channel andI-beams. It will be, understood,

however, that other types of metal or even wood may besubstituted in some cases for the structural forms specifically shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

The two faces of the gate may be substantially parallel one with the other, and the gate in the installed position is in parallelism with the seat 2. As such seat is inclined to the vertical, the gate 3 is similarly inclined, and its holding face 12 has a like inclination to the vertical,

Secured to the gate at respective sides thereof bv brackets 13 are side plates or walls 14 arranged in planes substantially perpendicular to the holding face of the gate. These walls are relatively wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, so that tical.

their, un-stream edges are practicall ver- At the upper and lower ends of thewalls 14 is a bearing 15 carrying a pin 16 on which pro-' Plain wheels and even curved guides may be considered as the equivalent of sprocket wheels.

The sluice wav 1 is approached by a channel having side walls 21 in which there are formed upright channels-22 adjacent to the corresponding edges of the gate seat 2.

Embedded in opposite walls of the channels 22 constituting the up and down stream walls of these channels are guide rails 23, each having a groove 24 adapted to receive the rollers 20. The rails 23 are held in the walls 21' by angle bolts 25 The rails 23 constituting the guides for the gate are vertical, while the gate and its seat are inclined more or less to the vertical. The result of this is that when the gate starts on its movement away from its seat it immediately completely leaves the seat, thus eliminating all frictional engagement which would occur if the gate and seat were vertical and parallel one with the other. When the gate moves downwardly it ultimately engages the seat over its entire surface at once, so that there is no chance of sliding friction between the gate and seat.

The gate seat 2 may be also anchored to the tracks 23 by connectors 26.

Threaded through the lower channel beam 9 of the gate are a suitable number of set screws 27 each of which may be provided with a lock nut 28. These set screws are readily accessible from the down stream side of the gate, so that they may be adjusted as desired after the gate is closed, even though is embedded in the path of the set screws 27, and this beam may be held in place by anchor bolts 30 or otl1erwise. adjustments of the set screws 27 the bearing rims of the gate and seat may be brought into close and practically water tight relation when the gate is closed.

In order to brace the gate the beams 10 and 10 are connected at intervals by bolts 31 distributed throughout the gate as may be found advisable.

Fast to the gate near the upper edge are straps 32 each terminating above the gate in an eye 33 to which-is secured a. U link 34:, by means of a connecting pin 35. Two or more such straps and links are employed as may be deemed necessary, and each link has one end 36 of a rope or cable or chain 37 made By suitable 39 with which there is meshed a pinion 40 being a in turn driven by a crank 41, these parts means .for the cable 37, whereby the gate may be lifted. With such a flexible device as a cable, it is ofcours'e impossible to impart any lowering impulse to the gate. This lowering impulse, however, is taken care of in the structures described with reference to F igs., 1.to 5, and also with reference to Figs. 6 and 7 to be described by the employment of a shelf 4 which in the practical form of the gate may be a channel beam securely riveted to the up stream face of the gate at the lower edge thereof and braced at the ends by the plates 14. With such a structure the cable 37 is always under tension and, therefore, constitutes a tension-suspen- ,sion for the gate incapable of acting compressively to close the gate.- 1

It is not necessary that the suspension means be a cable for it may be arack bar, as shown at 42 in Fig. 6. This rack bar has meshed therewith an operating pinion 4*3 driven by a gear 39. in .turn driven by a pinion 40 controlled by. a crank 41*, these parts being taken as indicative of any means Q of moving the rack bar 42. Because of the A parts of Figs. 5, 6

- described with reference self closing tendency of the gate the rack barneed be only capable of lifting the gate and as no compressive strains are put upon the rack bar it may be made comparatively light.

In Fig. 7 the suspension means-isjn the form of a screw rod 44 extending through a supporting block 45 mounted at the top of the structure. The rod 44 is driven by a nut 46 carried by a bevel gear 47 driven,.in

the showing of Fig. 7, by a bevel pinion 48 rotated by a crank 49, but these structures are to be considered 'as indicative of power structures or any. means of elevating the gates. l

The showing of the gates and associated and 7 is largely schematic but it will be understood follow the construction to Figs. 1 to' 4, in-

and fragmentary, that the gates may elusive.

The showing of Figs. 5, 6 and 7 demonstrates that the gate operating means may assume any one of quite a large variety of forms, especially as the operating means simple indication of any winding other liquid acting vertically over the honzontally projected area due to the inclination of the gate shall assist the force of gravity represented by the weight of the movable gate, such gate will close tightly against its seat. Because the suspending means for the gate are always under tension any one of a number of'well known simple operating devices is adaptable, these including the cable,

of such degree that the weight of water or rope 6r chainin conjunction with the winding drum, or the same flexible support in conjunction with blocks or pulleys, or ten,- sion rods engaged. at their upper ends by suitable gearing.

There the inclination of the gate may be sufficient'to utilize the weight of the vertical column of water or other fluid acting on the gate for the self-closing of the gate, such 1nclination may be' wholly depended upon for the purpose. When, however, for constructive or other reasons the inclination of the gate is to be reduced to a degree so small that the vertical, column of water acting thereon will not'have suflicient weight to complement the weight of the moving gate sufliciently to make the closing movement 7 automatic, the horizontally projecting ledge or shelf or other similar arrangement is emplelyed. he invention is applicable not only to gates 0r valves for regulating the flow of ,water or other liquids through or over fixed barriers and into pipes, pen stocks, flumes,

channels, or other conductors, or even into the free air, but is also applicable to movable dams and flash boards. The invention is particularly applicable to large gates or gates under considerable depth of water, and in cases where other types of sliding or rolling gates would be impracticable and unduly expensive.

The anti-friction exposed to the liquid and therefore the use of roller pockets and the like is avoided. This enables the free operation of the rollers at all times and avoids accumulation at any point of sand, silt, etc.

The superior downward pressure exerted upon-:the gate by the liquid being controlled firmly seats the gate and holds it to its seat without the assistance of any extraneously applied force.

The terms sluice gate and sluices are used devices are always freely 'under suspensional tension at all times, and

no compressive forces upon the suspension are needed to close the gate, the gate or its suspension are not at any time liable to the effects of distorting strains which may prove harmful or even destructive to a gate having such heavy and rigid suspending devices as are needed to transmit closing forces to the gate.

' gate closes,

No particular directions can be given as to the degree of inclination or other features of structure which may enter into the gate, for these will vary in accordance with the size and the depth at which the gate is located. The present invention is particle larly adapted for gates deeply immersed in water.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A submerged, suspended sluice gate mounted for up and down opening and closing movements, and a seat against which the said gate and seat being inclined with respect to the line 'of motion of the gate and said gate having a submerged weight less than the lifting effect of a stream flowing tlfi'ough the sluice at the determined head, aifd also having means for causing the water pressure normal to the upstream face of the gate to constitute the sole means for closing the gate, whereby the suspension means for the gate is always under tensional strain during the operation of the gate.

2. A deep water sluice gate having a substantially vertical movemenet in opening and closing and having a seat and a face toward the seat inclined with respect to the line of motion of the gate, the submerged weight of the gate being less than that necessary to close the gate and that face of the gate remote from the seat having means responsive to downwardly acting pressure ofthe water thereagainst whereby the gate may be manipulated by suspension means always under tensional strain due to hydraulic forces acting on the-gate. I

3. A deep water sluice gate having a substantially vertical movement in opening and closlng and inclined with respect to its line of movement and having a submerged weight inferior to the hydraulic forces tending to prevent the closure of the gate, and sald gate having a substantially horizontal shelf at its bottom portion projecting in the up-stream direction from and rigidly se'' cured to the gate. 1

4. A sluice gate havinga substantially vertical movement in opening and closing A stream side of said through and accessible for manipulation 011 the down and inclined with respect to its line of motion, and a seat for the gate having a like inclination to that ofthe gate, said gate being provided with adjustable stop means having accessible portions located on the down stream side of the gate for the adjust ment of the gate to its seat when the gate is in the closed position and holding back the body of fluid that the gate is intended to control.

5. A sluice gate having a substantially vertical movement in opening and closing and inclined with respect to its line of motion, and a seat. for the gate having a like inclination, said gate being of skeleton beam construction with an up stream facing and provided with adjustable stop means for limiting the closing movement of the gate and located thereon for access from the down gate, whereby the stop means may be reached and adjusted when the gate is in the closed back the body trol.

6. A sluice gate having a frame of skeleton metal beam construction with an up stream facing and a down stream sea-ting portion, and adjusting screws extending the lowermost beam of the frame position and holding of fluid it is intended to constream side of the gate.

7 A deep water sluice gate having a substantially vertical movement in opening and closing and of a submerged weight lIlSllfficient to overcome the hydraulic forces tending to prevent the closure of the gate, and

suspension means for the gate, said gate having an angle of inclination which is a function solely of the sum of the submerged weight of the gate and of water pressure normal to the upstream-face of the gate, whereby the suspension means of the gate are always under tensional strain in both the opening and closing movements of the gate.

8. A deep water sluice gate having a substantially vertical movement in opening and closing and of a submerged weight insuflicient to ing to prevent the closure of the gate, and suspension means for the gate, said gate having an angle of inclination which is afunction solely of the sum of the submerged weightof the gate and of water pressure normal to the upstream face of the gate, whereby the suspension means of the gate are always under tensional st-rain'in both the opening and closing movements of the gate, said sluice gate having antifriction devices thereon located wholly upstream with respect to the gate, and. tracks embedded in the side ,walls of the approach to the sluice for receiving the antifriction devices on the gate.

9. A deep water sluice gate having a substantially vertical movement in openlng and closing and of a submerged weight insuflicient to overcome the hydraulic'forces tending to prevent the closure of the gate, and suspension means for the gate, said gate having an angle of inclination which is a function solely of the suin of the submerged weight of the gate and of water pressure normal to the upstream face of the gate, whereby the sus pension means of the gate are always under tensional strain in both the opening and closing movements of the gate, said sluice gate having antifriction devices thereon 1ocated wholly upstream with respect to the gate and tracksembedded in the side walls of the approach to the'sluice for receiving I 1,306,370 I N i the antifriction devices on the gate, and said 15 gate also having side webs or walls extending in the upstream direction in covering relation to the tracks and the portions of the side Walls of the approach in which the tracks 'areiembeddedand in which the anti- 20 friction devices are located.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST L. BROOME.

Witnesses:

SIMON WEINER, PERCY W. HAVERSTEIN. 

